Key support



R. C. LEGAT KEY SUPPORT Dec. 25, 195] Filed Feb. 3, 1949 R. U m6 N m 0" M W Ia H m% E DQ Patented Dec. 25, 1951 KEY SUPPORT Robert C. Legat, New Britain, Conn., assignor to The G. E. Prentice Mfg. 00., Kensington, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application February 3, 1949, Serial No. 74,386

8 Claims.

This invention relates to key supporting means for key cases and has for its general object the provision of an improved key holding means for releasably securing the individual keys in the case.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved key holding means which will securely and reliably lock the key hooks in position thereon and yet which will enable such hooks to be separated from or inserted in such holding means with case when it is desired to use the keys apart from the casing or replace them.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved key holding assembly which is of a simple, rugged construction that can successfully withstand a long period of usage and which can be economically manufactured.

Other objects and advantages of the invention as well as the novel details of construction thereof will appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a front elevational view of my improved key holding means showing the same secured to a portion of a key case; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a broken view similar to Fig. l but showing the relation of the parts during the insertion or separation of the key hooks; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the holder per se.

In the drawings, the reference numeral I0 designates generally a portion of a key case which may be formed of leather or the like and which may have any suitable configuration. Secured to the key case portion ill by fastening elements such as rivets H, is the key holding means of the present invention. As will be seen more clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the body of such key holding means is fashioned from a sheet metal blank to provide a front flat plate portion [2, a bead-like or outwardly bulged portion I3 and a rear fiat plate portion [4 which underlies the bulged portion 13 and the upper end of the front plate portion I2. The front plate portion l2 below the rear plate portion 14 is in substantial flatwise contact with the key case portion In and is permanently secured in this relation by the rivets I I; the rivets II passing through front plate portion 12 and the key case portion [0 at points below the rear plate portion Id.

The bead-like portion [3 extends along the upper edge of the front plate portion [2 throughout the latters entire length which, in the embodiment shown, is sufficient to accommodate six key hooks l5 arranged in flat overlapping relation on such front portion, as is illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings. The bead-like portion I3 is substantially U-shaped in cross-sectional configuration and is provided with six transversely disposed slots l6 arranged in equally spaced, parallel relation inwardly from the ends of portion l3. As is shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, the upper ends of the slots 16 terminate short of the line of juncture of rear plate portion M with the upper rear edge of portion l3. At their lower ends, the slots continue past the line of juncture of such portion i3 with front plate portion 12 and into the upper end of the latter. At a point in the lower end of each slot substantially opposite to the point of termination of the upper end thereof, the slot is enlarged. to a width greater than the width of the head ll! of a key hook l5 and such enlarged width of the slot is continued into the front plate portion l2 (compare Figs. 4 and 6). The portions N3 of the slots IS in the front plate portion 12 have a length less than the diameter of the key hook head ll, but sufficient to enable such head to be readily inserted into the slot in the inclined fashion illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The length of the enlarged portion of the slot in the bead-like portion I3 is substantially equal to the-height of the key hook head I? in order to facilitate the insertion or removal of the key hook in this manner. As is shown in the drawings, the heads ll of the key hooks 15 are each substantially cylindrically-shaped and integrally formed on one end of a piece of raised wire whose remaining portion is formed into the loop-shaped key holding snap of hook l5. The wire of which the hook I5 is made, is relatively rigid, but has an inherent degree of springiness to cause the snap to return to normal closed position after it has been opened to insert or remove a key.

The portions it of the slots it are closed by the lower end of rear plate portion I4 which underlies in flat contacting relation the upper end of the front plate portion l2. Plate portion [4 also closes longitudinally the area defined by the U- shaped portion I3 and forms a backing for the latter. Thus, the rear plate portion l4 protects the material of the casing during the insertion and removal of the key hooks and while such hooks are engaged in the slots 16 of portion l3.

The ends of the bead-like portion I3 are closed by the upwardly projecting free ends of a pair of lugs or ears 20, 2| which are integrally connected to the upper side edge portions of the front plate 12, and which are bent forwardly from such plate so as to be disposed at right angles thereto. The cars 26, 2| are provided with a pair of aligned apertures 22, 22 above the line of juncture of such ears with the front plate 12 and adjacently below the bead-like portion 13. Extending through the apertures 22, 22 and thereby rotatably supported by the cars 20, 2! are the offset bearing portions 23, 23 of a metal bar 2 4 which extends in parallel relation to the bead-like portion 63. The bar 24 is secured in position on the ears 2d, 2! by the bent end 25 and the bent bar portion 2d, the latter of which is sufliciently long to serve as a handle to enable the user to manually rotate the bar 2 1 about the longitudinal axes of the bearing portions 23, 23. In order to facilitate the operation of the handle 26, the outer end 2? thereof is bent back, such end 2i also serving as a stop to limit the rotation of the bar 24 in one direction by. its engagement with the front plate 12, as is shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The rotational movement of the bar 2 in the opposite direction may be restricted by a stop 28 provided on ear 2| and formed from the material of such ear so that it will be engaged by and the stop 23, the bar 24 moves in a concentric fashion about the longitudinal axes of the bearing portions 23, 23. The construction of the bar 24 is such that when the handle 26 is in its downward position with the offset end 2? thereof in engagement with the front plate portion l2, such bar will overlie the enlarged lower end portions of the slots IS in the bead-like portion [3 and thereby'prevent the disengagement of a key hook I5 from such portion l3. This key hook locking means is also so constructed that when the bar 24 is in the aforesaid position, it will be in frictional engagement with the exterior surfaces of the bead-like portion I3 and due to such frictional'engagement and the inherent springiness of the metal of such locking means, the bar 24 will remain in such position until positively removed therefrom by the manipulation of handle 26 of such means. In other words, the bearing apertures 22, 22 and the bar 24' are so related with respect to such surfaces of portion I3, that the bar 2% in'the locking position thereof, will be in tight frictional engagement with such surfaces so that it cannot inadvertently be removed therefrom.

When it is desired to remove a key hook it from or insert it into the bead-like portion IS, the handle 26 of the locking means is moved upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings where it will be engaged with the stop 28 on the lug or ear 2|. During such pivotal movement of the handle 26, the bar 24 will be translated as a whole about the longitudinal axes of the bearing portions 23, 23 and in a downwardly and forwardly direction to the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Because .of the relation of the longitudinal axes of the bearing portions 23, 23 to the lower surfaces of portion I3 and the front surface of plate l2, such movement of the bar 24 will cause the latter to move over such surfaces with a wiping action. As is shown more clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawings, in this retracted position of the bar 24, it will be inclined to the front plate portion I2 and its upper surface will be disposed along the lower ends of the slot portions IS in 4 such plate portion l2. fore; the plate 2 1 will serve as a guide for the removal and insertion of the heads ll of the key hooks and will particularly facilitate the insertion of such heads into the bead-like portion I3. The bar 24 consequently serves two purposes, namely, to facilitate the insertion and removal of the key hooks and to prevent the disengagement of the key hooks from the bead-like portion 13.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the present invention affords a simple construction ,of key holding means which may be constructed of but two pieces from the same metal stock. The holding means is neat and attractive and can be readily manipulated by the user to accomplish with relative ease the purposes for which it was designed. It will also be evident,

that while I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, various changes and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the essential features thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A key support for a key case or the like, comprising a supporting plate having a beadlike forwardly projecting portion provided with a plurality of slots, said slots extending transversely of said projecting portion and into an adjacent flat part of said plate, the portions of said slots in said flat part and adjacent to said fiat part being enlarged to permit the removal of the heads of key hooks therethrough, a fiat retaining bar rotatably mounted on said plate for concentric movement about an axis of rotation positioned forwardly of said fiat part and-below said projecting portion, said bar being located exteriorly of said projecting portion'so as to normally obstruct the enlarged portions of said slots adjacent to said fiat part and being capable of being translated as a whole about such rotational axis away from such normal position to a position in which said enlarged portions of the slots are uncovered to permit the removal of a key hook and in which a flat surface of said bar is disposed in spaced below opposed relation to such normally obstructed enlarged portion of the slots to enable such bar surface to function as a guide to facilitate the insertion'of a key hook, and means connected to said retaining bar and operable to rotate said bar from one position to the other.

2. 'A key support for a key case or the like, comprising a supporting plate having a headlike forwardly projecting portion provided with a pluralityof transverse slots, said slots having portions through which the heads of key hooks may be removed, a pair of ears integral with the side edges of said support adjacent to said projecting portion and forming a pair of spaced bearing supports, a retaining bar lying exteriorly of said bead-like projecting portion and'rotatably supported by said ears, said bar including a pairof end portions supported by said ears and an elongated body portion oifset from said end portions and parallelly arranged with relation to said projecting portiomsaid body portion being offset from the axis of rotation of said end portions 2. sufiicient amount to enable it in its normal position to obstruct saidportions'of the slots and to enable it to be translated as a whole about such rotational axis away from such normal position to a position in which saidslot portions are uncovered to permit the removal of a key hook, a handle portion integral with one of In this position thereamass said bar end portions and operable to rotate the body portion of said bar from one position to another, said handle portion being disposed at right angles to such end portion so that when said body portion is obstructing said slot portions, said handle portion is against said supporting plate, and means on the other of said bar end portions and cooperating with said handle portion to maintain such bar end portions against shifting longitudinally with respect to said ears.

3. A key support for a key case or the like, comprising a supporting plate having a flat part i for securing the plate to a key case and having a bead-like portion projecting forwardly from said flat part and provided with a plurality of slots, said slots extending transversely of said projecting portion and being enlarged at their lower ends to permit the removal of the heads of key hooks therethrough, a retaining bar rotatably mounted on said plate for concentric movement about an axis' of rotation positioned for wardly of said flat part and below said projecting portion, said bar being located exteriorly of said projecting portion and normally positioned relative to the under exterior surfaces of said beadlike portion to obstruct the enlarged portions of said slots and being capable of being translated as a Whole about such rotational axis away from said bead-like portion and downwardly and inwardly relative to said flat part to a position below said bead-like portion wherein the enlarged portions of the slots are uncovered to permit the removal of a key hook, and means connected to said retaining bar and operable to rotate said bar from one position to the other.

4. A key support for a key case or the like, comprising a supporting plate having a flat part for securing the plate to a key case and having a bead-like portion projecting forwardly from said fiat part and provided with a plurality of slots, said slots extending transversely of said projecting portion and being enlarged at their lower ends to permit the removal of the heads of key hooks therethrough, a retaining bar rotatably mounted on said plate for concentric movement about an axis of rotation positioned forwardly of said flat part and below said projecting portion, said bar being located exteriorly of said projecting portion and normally positioned relative to the under exterior surfaces of said bead-like portion to obstruct the enlarged portions of said slots and being capable of being translated as a whole about such rotational axis downwardly away from said bead-like portion and towards said flat part to a position adjacently below the enlarged portions of said slots wherein the latter are uncovered to permit the removal of a key hook, the slot obstructing portions of said bar being so configured that in said second named position of the bar such portions will function as guides to facilitate the insertion of key hooks into their associated slots, and means connected to said retaining bar and operable to rotate said bar from one position to the other.

5. A key support for a key case or the like, comprising a supporting plate having a flat part for securing the plate to a key case and having a bead-like portion projecting forwardly from said flat part and provided with a plurality of slots, said slots extending transversely of said projectin portion and being enlarged at their lower ends to permit the removal of the heads of key hooks therethrough, a retaining bar rotatably mounted on said plate for concentric movement about an axis of rotation positioned forwardly of said fiat part and below said projecting portion, said bar being located exteriorly of said projecting portion and normally frictionally engaging the under exterior surfaces of said bead-like portion to obstruct the enlarged portions of said slots until positively removed therefrom and said bar being capable of being translated as a whole about such rotational axis downwardly away from said bead-like portion and into contact with said fiat part along a line adjacently below the enlarged portions of said slots, and means for limiting the upward range of movement of said bar from said flat part into frictional engagement with the under exterior surfaces of said bead-like portion.

6. A key support for a key case or the like, comprising a supporting plate having a flat part for securing the plate to a key case and having a bead-like portion projecting forwardly from said flat part and provided with a plurality of slots, said slots extending transversely of said projecting portion and being enlarged at their lower ends to permit the removal of the heads of key hooks therethrough, a retaining bar rotatably mounted on said plate for concentric movement about an axis of rotation positioned forwardly of said flat part and below said projecting portion, said bar being located exteriorly of said projecting portion and normally frictionally engaging the under exterior surfaces of said bead-like portion to obstruct the enlarged portions of said slots until positively removed therefrom and said bar being capable of being translated as a whole about such rotational axis downwardly away from said bead-like portion and into contact with said flat part along a line adjacently below the enlarged portions of said slots, a handle connected to said bar and operable to rotate said bar from one position to the other, said handle having a portion engageable with a portion of said fiat part for limiting the upward movement of said bar from said fiat part into frictional engagement with the under exterior surfaces of said bead-like portion.

'7. A key support for a key case or the like, comprising a supporting plate having a flat part for securing the plate to a key case: and having a bead-like portion projecting forwardly from said fiat part and provided with a plurality of slots extending transversely of said projecting portion and enlarged at their lower ends to permit the removal of the heads of key hooks therethrough, a pair of ears at the ends of said projecting portion and projecting forwardly of said flat part below said projecting portion, a retaining bar rotatably mounted on said ears for concentric movement about an axis of rotation positioned forwardly of said flat part and below said projecting portion, said bar being located exteriorly of said projecting portion and normally frictionally engaging the under exterior surfaces of said bead-like portion to obstruct the enlarged portions of said slots until positively removed therefrom and said bar being capable of being translated as a whole about such rotational axis downwardly away from said beadlike portion and into contact with said flat part along a line adjacently below the enlarged portions of said slots, and means for limiting the upward range of movement of said bar from said fiat part into frictional engagement with the under exterior surfaces of said bead-like portion.

8. ,A key support for a key case or'the like, comprising a supporting plate having a flat part for securing the plate to a key case, a bead-like portion alon the upper edge of saidfiat part and projecting forwardly therefrom, and a fiat section connected to the upper edge of said beadlike portion. and underlying the latter to close the rear thereof, said bead-like portion being provided with a plurality of slots extending transversely thereof and enlarged at their lower ends to permit the removal of the'heads of key hooks therethrough, a pair of ears closing the ends of said bead-like portion and projecting downwardly from the latter and forwardly of said flat part, a retaining bar rotatably mounted on said ears for concentric movement about an axis of rotation positioned forwardly of said flat part and below said projecting portion, said bar being located exteriorly of said projecting portion and normally frictionally engaging the under exterior surfaces of said bead-like portion to obstruct the enlarged portions of said slots being capable of being translated as a whole about such rotational axis downwardly away from said bead-like portion and into contact with said flat part along aline adjacently below the enlarged portions of said s1ots, and means for limiting the upward range of movement of said bar from said fiat part into frictional engagement with the under exterior surfaces of saidbead-like portion. i

\ ROBERT C. LEGAT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

